1.12 Ct. Blue Sapphire from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

This 1.12 carat oval blue sapphire from Ceylon presents a technically disciplined example of lapidary craft, measuring 6.92 by 5.29 by 3.54 millimeters with a length to width ratio of approximately 1.31 to 1. The stone is faceted in a mixed brilliant style, employing a brilliant-cut crown to maximize scintillation and a stepped pavilion to deepen color saturation and improve light return. At eye level the clarity is rated eye clean, indicating the absence of inclusions visible without magnification, and the excellent polish produces crisp facet junctions and strong mirror-like facet faces that enhance both contrast and brilliance. The transparent body and intense color intensity work together with the proportions to yield balanced light performance, offering lively starbursts of reflection across the crown facets while retaining a deep, velvety blue in the pavilion and table windows.

Compared to historically famous sapphires, this Ceylon example channels the luminous saturation often associated with great museum pieces, recalling the classic cornflower and velvety tones admired in Kashmir material, while keeping the clarity and lively faceting typically seen in celebrated Sri Lankan stones like the Logan and Stuart sapphires. Unlike larger historic gems that often trade saturation for size, this gem’s mixed brilliant geometry allows it to punch above its weight, concentrating color and brilliance in a manner similar to well-cut, high-quality antique stones. Where star sapphires such as the Star of India are prized for asterism rather than faceted sparkle, this sapphire’s value derives from its combination of intense hue, transparent body, and precision cutting, making it a refined choice for collectors who value optical performance as much as color provenance.

The piece has been heat treated, a standard and stable enhancement for corundum that improves color uniformity and is fully disclosed, and its Sri Lankan origin contributes to its market desirability due to the island’s long-standing reputation for producing vividly hued sapphires. For those considering mounting, the 3.54 millimeter depth and the mixed brilliant faceting are well suited to both bezel and claw settings that allow table exposure for maximum face-up color. This sapphire is offered through The Natural Sapphire Company, where strict grading, documented enhancement disclosure, and exacting cutting standards ensure that technical characteristics and historical comparisons are provided to assist informed purchasing decisions.